A Freshman by the faithful sweep
Was found half buried in soft sleep.
Ibid., Nov. 10, 1846.
With fingers dirty and black,
From lower to upper room,
A College Sweep went dustily round,
Plying his yellow broom.
Songs of Yale, 1853, p. 12.
In the Yale Literary Magazine, Vol. III. p. 144, is "A tribute to certain Members of the Faculty, whose names are omitted in the Catalogue," in which appropriate praise is awarded to these useful servants.
The Steward … engages sweepers for the College.—Laws Harv.
Coll., 1816, p. 48.
One of the sweepers finding a parcel of wood,… the defendant, in the absence of the owner of the wood, authorizes the sweeper to carry it away.—Scenes and Characters in College, p. 98.
SWELL BLOCK. In the University of Virginia, a sobriquet applied to dandies and vain pretenders.
SWING. At several American colleges, the word swing is used for coming out with a secret society badge; 1st, of the society, to swing out the new men; and, 2d, of the men, intransitively, to swing, or to swing out, i.e. to appear with the badge of a secret society. Generally, to swing out signifies to appear in something new.
The new members have "swung out," and all again is harmony.—Sophomore Independent, Union College, Nov. 1854.
SYNDIC. Latin, syndicus; Greek, [Greek: sundikos; sun], with, and [Greek: dikae], justice.
An officer of government, invested with different powers in different countries. Almost all the companies in Paris, the University, &c., have their syndics. The University of Cambridge has its syndics, who are chosen from the Senate to transact special business, as the regulation of fees, forming of laws, inspecting the library, buildings, printing, &c.—Webster. Cam. Cal.